Houston rapper and producer BeatKing, who rose to fame in the 2010s fusing hip-hop and raw club beats, has died. His longtime manager, Tasha Felder, announced the news in a statement posted to her Instagram. “BeatKing has been the best part of the club for over a decade,” he wrote. “He has produced and worked with so many artists that his sound will live on forever. He loved his @clubgodparenting daughters, his music and his fans. We will love him forever.” The cause of death has not yet been revealed. BeatKing was 39 years old.
Born Justin Riley in 1984, BeatKing picked up drums as a child, accompanying his mother while she played the piano at their local church. The MC and producer first broke out of the Houston underground scene in 2010 with his debut album, Kings of the Clubwhich remains one of his best-selling records. The 23-track LP included “Crush” and “Hammer,” both of which charted on Billboard's hip-hop chart.
BeatKing has released a wealth of music over the past 14 years, becoming an influential and beloved figure in the southern club scene. As a producer and rapper, he has worked with fellow Southerners such as 2 Chainz, T-Pain, Bun B, Slim Thug and Gangsta Boo. In 2020, his collaboration with Queendome Come 'Then Leave' went viral on TikTok, proving his enduring appeal and massive appeal.
In addition to his prolific music career, BeatKing (who also recorded as Club Godzilla) became easily recognizable for his arsenal of single-handed slogan t-shirts. We could see him playing gems like 'I Unfollow Back', 'Gum Is Not Toothpaste' and 'Girls With That Lil Lite Mustache :)'.
Just last month, BeatKing released his final album of his life, Never leave Houston on Sunday.
